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Anyway I have been doing a lot of research on this and following this thread as information came in. After traveling to various locations and making phone calls, this is what I found.

1) Hires IS bottled by Independent Beverage out of NC. I was physically present in a Weis in Havre De Grace MD and found it (and bought 20 bottles). It is only available at Weis in the 2 Liter. There are sources on this forum that say it is also available up in the Winchester VA Area by Independent. I have no confirmed this but I will take this as fact until otherwise proven to be false. I have contacted Independent Beverage and spoke to a higher level manager. He basically told me flat out, they only bottle two liters. They will not bottle for any B2B sales that are LESS THAN A TRUCKLOAD. Meaning if you are a small store and maybe order more than a few cases (such as a Pallet or two) but less than a truckload, you can buy Hires through a retail outlet at wholesale. If you can't buy it wholesale from them because they will not offer to sell it to you wholesale, thats not our problem. They handle big business only with Hires.

2) The whole Iowa deal. Now to confirm with that gentleman, yes, i was the one you spoke to on the phone. He told me Hires was being produced in Iowa in cans and in contract to be delivered to be sold in Fareway Grocery Stores. I have not found this to be the case. The gentleman I spoke to seemed honest so I I do not doubt he felt he was telling me the truth. However, I made a trip up to Iowa as I had to ironically go up there on business this month. I stopped at nearly 10 Fareways off the I-29 (south of I-80), I-80, and in Cedar Rapids and Waterloo. Guess what? No Hires. I asked an employee in a few stores, not all. They scratched their heads and looked at me like they had no idea. I DID buy the Fastco Brand Root Beer for the hell of it at one of the stores and it was pretty good. So basically either Hires is still being produced by this bottler in Iowa and its only sold in the Fareways Stores I did not go in OR its no longer being bottled. When I contacted Fareway Corporate by phone, I asked them if they sold it in any of their stores and if so, who could i speak to in order to purchase it wholesale. The receptionist said she never heard of it. I made three calls. Each time directed to a different department. Each time sent to voice mail. Each time no returned call.

3) Washington State. I contacted the bottler you mentioned several times. Always spoke to the receptionist. Always asked her if they produced Hires and she said she never heard of it. Always directed to speak to the sales manager. Always sent to voice mail. Always never got a return call back. I called a few stores that were mentioned in the forum. The employees were either too busy or unknowledgable to neither confirm or deny its being sold. So since several ops mentioned in the forum its sold there and I cannot find otherwise, lets say yes. I believe the ops said its sold in cans. I would like more info on this. Maybe some pictures if possible of it being sold in the store.

4) I also once again, contacted DPSG. No one knows who I should talk to. I basically asked them, "I would like to sell Hires in my store. Who are the currently licensed bottlers in the USA that do this?" After several calls I finally got a girl who was brutally honest with, "Sir, I have no idea nor do I have the means to access that kind of information". So I basically ask them every time. "What if I AM a bottler that produces other things. Say I am an independent but I am already licensed to bottle several sodas like Big Red and Sun Drop or whatever. Just making a example. I am not a bottler but lets just say I am for the sake of this conversation. I want to license Hires so I can produce it. What department in DPSG or Cadbury Schweppes do I speak to in order to get more information and start the paperwork? If I am a bottler and already am licensed to produce Hires and I need support, what department do i talk to? These are the departments I am loooking for who can probably give me the information I need". Every rep i speak to, no matter what department I try and find, no one has any clue. I tried contacting the Chief Operating Officer's Office. Their secretary also had no clue. I have came to the conclusion of either its not possible for a big company like this to have no idea what department licenses brands and they are just idiots OR they are so disorganized they REALLY don't know. With thinking the level of importance in knowing who is licensed to bottle what would be paramount, DPSG seems to not have a handle on it at all.

All and all I very much appreciate ALL your support on trying to find Hires and see what has happened. I hope this thread continues to be updated with information on where it is available and when it gets discontinued in other markets.

I think my questions are simple to DPSG. I want to sell Hires. How do I go about this. The local DPSG says 'We don't bottle it. Look out of market or contact DPSG. We can't help you. No kidding?

I would like to know if anyone is willing to continue to contribute to this thread?

I am having a really hard time finding availability now in the Northwest (WA and OR). I would like to know if it is still being produced. In the past months calling stores in multiple markets in those areas and the bottlers directly has came up as no longer sold. Someone throw me bone here.

I would like to know if anyone is willing to continue to contribute to this thread?

I am having a really hard time finding availability now in the Northwest (WA and OR). I would like to know if it is still being produced. In the past months calling stores in multiple markets in those areas and the bottlers directly has came up as no longer sold. Someone throw me bone here.

Winco. Both kent and Federal way stores carry. As does the Super walmarts.

Wish I could help. Kroger in the Houston area used to carry it a few years ago, but stopped around 2008 or so. They had 12 packs and 2 liters. No other grocer to my knowledge had it in the area. It is a superior root beer. The only one that I liked better is our local brewery (St. Arnold's) makes a wonderful root beer. They say they produce it at a loss just to be able to give kids something when they accompany their parents for brewery tours.

I bought 2-12 packs today At Jungle Jims in Fairfield, OH. It was $6.99 a 12 pack. It is marked OT which is Ottumwa , IA (CADBURY SCHWEPPES BOTTLING GROUP). I hope this helps as it is still produced in Ottumwa.